Congress hopes of revival in Gujarat could be "via ex-RSS leader and Modi's ex-friend Shankersinh Vaghela" :::: In 2002, Modi said: "I thank Jesus Christ for giving the right sense to Soniaben for depending on an ex RSS man"

Decade after exit, Shankersinh Vaghela in talks to return to Congress ahead of 2027 polls

Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda said discussions are underway with former chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela and that the party would take next steps after talks with its leadership.  

Shankersinh Vaghela is a former RSS leader and ex Chief Minister of Gujarat. He was also Union Minister under Manmohan Singh in 2004 and the Leader of Opposition in Gujarat Legislative Assembly. 

Onetime a bosom friend and compatriot of Narendra Modi; Vagela started his political career with the Jana Sangh, which later merged into the Janata Party in 1977.

In Gujarat BJP - Keshubhai Patel, Vaghela and Modi were known as very close friends. But in later period - all three parted ways. Keshubhai became chief minister first. Modi was "out in exile" to Delhi. Vaghela worked to topple Keshubhai. And in 2001 November - Modi became chief minister replacing Keshubhai. 

The rest is history.  

Now, a meeting between Vaghela and Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, is on cards. 

Vaghela’s dramatic departure from the Congress in July 2017 following differences with the party leadership came right ahead of the high-stakes Rajya Sabha poll -- in which late Sonia Gandhi's trusted lieutenant Ahmed Patel was seeking re-election.

Fourteen Congress MLAs, including Vaghela, left Congress in 2017. 

Three of them, including Balvantsinh Rajput, crossed over to the BJP before the Rajya Sabha elections. Rajput was subsequently fielded in the Rajya Sabha election against Ahmed Patel.

The high-voltage contest - going up to mid-night drama - ended with Ahmed Patel scraping through by a single vote.

Bharatiya Tribal Party leader Chhotubhai Vasava had come to his rescue. 

The Congress later expelled eight MLAs, including Vaghela, for cross-voting.

In 2002 after post-Godhra riots, the Congress had gone to polls against Modi-led BJP by projecting Vaghela as its face and chief ministerial face. The then chief minister Namo - under fierce attack for the unprecedented anti-Muslim mayhem - had then mocked at Sonia Gandhi and had said:   

"I thank Jesus Christ for giving the right sense to Soniaben for depending on an ex RSS man".  

Even Vaghela slammed Modi and used to say - "This man speaks 'anab shanab'". 

After the December 2022 polls - which BJP swept -- Vaghela had said - "Even Hindutva voters will require a responsible government which cater for people's welfare and development". 

It is altogether a different chapter Modi did not look back since then. Modi also led his party to victory in 2007 and 2012 and later emerged BJP's  prime ministerial face. In 2014 when Modi was elected BJP parliamentary leader (to be sworn in as the Prime Minister); on his last entry to the state assembly - both Modi and Vaghela met by taking each other in arms. 

Vaghela's gesture had made many Congress leaders in Delhi furious.  Much to the chagrin of many Congressman, Vaghela even had said: 

"In 1984 it was 2, now it is 282 (BJP strength in Lok Sabha) and the credit goes to Narendra Bhai." 

Vaghela - then the LoP in the assembly - had even said:  

-- "I hope within the framework of the Constitution there is a Ram Mandir." 

Vaghela had said that the Gujarat chief minister becoming prime minister of India was a cause of happiness for everyone.

State legislators, including Modi's close aide Amit Shah and Revenue Minister Anandiben Patel, addressed the session. 

Anandiben Patel had said that "son of Gujarat" will be the PM of India was a matter of pride. Ms Patel is now UP chief minister and Amit Shah is all powerful India's Home Minister and the 'Chanakya' of BJP's electoral machine. 

Modi and UP Governor Anandiben Patel : Aug 5, 2020 - Ram Mandir foundation day Puja 

ends 

UPI - MDR - a necessity :::: Questions those require analyses are : -- What would be the impact on a large-scale payment system if it went down? :: When there is fraud, who is responsible? ?

UPI MDR (Merchant Discount Rate) charges refer to the processing fee paid by business owners or merchants —not regular consumer s— for accepting digital payments through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). 

The MDR is a fee deducted automatically from a merchant's account by banks and payment processors to cover the cost of running and securing digital payment networks.  

The launch of MDR can contribute to the development of a more sustainable economic model for the UPI eco system. However, the price tag is not enough to achieve sustainability. 

More transparency of financing and strengthening of the ecosystem should be public. The system should be able to show the benefits of the merchant’s contribution when they are involved in MDR.  

'Governance' will shift from ‘transaction governance to ecosystem governance’. This will result in greater clarity of responsibility within the banking system, between banks and payment services providers and other actors.

The cybersecurity requirements will enhance and there will be also need for  more secure systems in case of failed or fraudulent transactions. 

** UPI has ceased to be just another payment method. 

It’s**  a payment channel that’s now used by millions of consumers and businesses. 

** This puts people in a new position of responsibility, to be 'more accountable'.

Questions those require analyses are :

What would be the impact on a large-scale payment system if it went down? 

When there is fraud, who is responsible? 

How quickly the significant cybersecurity incidents are addressed? 

**

UPI is now an integral part of the digital public infrastructure in India. 

NPCI data revealed transactions worth Rs 29.82 lakh crore from 752 banks through UPI in August 2026

There have been at least 24.51 billion transactions. This is a scale, but it’s not a costless scale. 

The payment system needs investment on a continuous basis. Cybersecurity challenges are new and growing, fraud prevention needs are more complex and sophisticated and banks and payment service providers must have resilient technology to meet the challenges. 

India wants to make UPI financially sustainable without disturbing the conditions that helped make it ubiquitous.

It is not an impossible task. 

Brazil's Pix, another hugely successful instant-payment system, is free for individuals but permits low-cost charges for businesses. 

The key question is not whether UPI should remain free for every merchant transaction.

The pricing structure protects the marginal merchants who are still being brought into the digital payments ecosystem.

ends 

"Biggest dormant" party in Nagaland is BJP :: "self-destruction via Inaction and Status Quo" ::: Congrats Nagaland ... We do not see Solution ... Cock eats up "Book" ... Lotus gets into for a Bolero Ride !!

Any political party deserving one of those Padma awards for inaction in Nagaland politics is the BJP. 

"Biggest dormant" party in the state is the Saffron outfit.  

"My fav. CM has stopped getting angry with himself" - Here 'rejoicing' coup snatched from BJP  

  :: "self-destruction via Inaction and Status Quo"... 

Congrats #Nagaland .. No #Solution ... 

#Cock eats up "Book" #NPP MLAs merge with @Neiphiu_Rio led #NPF  

... Lotus gets into for a Bolero Ride across #India .... #Delhi, #Nagpur 

What's there in Journalism ? What's there inside the box? :  Bolero Ride "acchey din" 

Naga People within the state of Nagaland have to decide ... or else 'extortion' by over 30 factions will continue at least easily till 2028. 

 

The Nagas of Nagaland will have to be 'masters' of their political journey vis-a-vis lasting peace and development for their children. 

Onus shifts on organisations like the Concerned Naga Forum of Nagaland (CNFN). They will have much tougher challenge.

 

The so-called BJP central observers and in-charges can seek a pension scheme. There are clerks with papers ready from Dimapur airport to the state capital. It's done and dusted case. 

The Lotus party is not at all keen to disturb the so called Cock-led equilibrium.   

Five NPP MLAs have now embraced the Cock-hood by announcing the merger. This blogger made the breaking news announcement on Sept 30. 

At least two sitting NPP MLAs denied to their "friends" that anything such development is on card. 

This merger is 'NPF coup'. 

The beleaguered chief minister and NPF boss Rio wants to tell the voters and others -- "Look, I am so successful. My politics is so successful. So what if there is FNTA ? Cock rules Kohima. 'Globe' ..what's that? 

My party is so popular. My Manishankar Aiyars are so genius. 

Enjoy the ride .... Solution .... I have never met anybody by that name".   The NPP MLAs wanted a merger with NPF in 2025 presuming "being in the camp" would make 2028 sail easy. 

The BJP got the early alert. Still it did not act. Actually, it is worse.

The request for merger in 2025 was turned down on the 'reported' ground that Neiphiu Rio does not want to displease Conrad Sangma (Late 'friend' P A Sangma's son. 

But things have changed after Sept 10, 2026. Now for platitudes and 'signaling' that he still commands things -- Rio has taken in these five MLAs. 

The bigger fun is in the story that the NPP legislators were in discussion with the BJP for 'merger'. The saffron party stood with "inaction", preferred being part of the larger Status Quo club. Rio grabbed the opportunity and hence the merger.  

Nyamnyei Konyak - from Moka Assembly constituency - played the pro-NPF anchor. Some 'relatives' were on play.

 

Kohima legislator - Tseilhoutuo Rhütso  (popular as Dr Ato) wanted NPF 'cap' for 2028. Tenyimia voters are still alergic to pro-Hinduta BJP.  

Seyochung–Sitimi - MLA -- C. Kipili Sangtam and Benei M. Lamthiu - who represents 57 assembly segment - Thonoknyu were agreeable to NPF idea.  

snap - source My Neta 

Nuklutoshi – representing Arkakong (Assembly Constituency) in Mokokchung district was not very keen to dump Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma.  

"But a gentleman like him has no option... to be singled out in an era when Bolero power is more than anything else made him accept the hospitality of the Cock party," says a political observer on the condition of anonymity.  

In the meantime, those who want an early Solution may opt for a long holiday. Even veteran S C Jamir may be advised to 'give up the struggle' at such a ripe age. 

"Please take care of your health sir ... You have given life more than it deserves. Maybe we mortals do not deserve the Solution. We deserve free run for extortionists. 

What would my party or Nagaland polity deserve after this inaction is left to their wisdom and emotional sense," said a BJP leader visibly upset at the developments. 

For many Naga politicians - of the era I know - the likes of Hokishe Sema, Vizol, Shikiho, J B Jasokie and even T N Angami (I knew his son N T Nakhro and daughter in law - AIR, Kohima officer) and of course S C Jamir himself ---- politics was ....

never been about power alone. 

Of course, they were no saints, They did love power .... We in the media grilled them and criticised them. 

But each one of them had certain good ideas for the people and the land.

They all wanted to contribute something for the people and the state.

Life, politics and the maneuvering were also a lot about - conviction,  commitment and courage.  

Late Vamuzo and blogger : 1990s - 'Naga Banner' newspaper office 

The temporary winners may be laughing.  Dr Manmohan Singh was India's PM for 10 years. How many people believe he 'achieved' something during his tenure is always questionable. People remember Lal Bahadur Shastri. Legacy is important. 

My 'favourite chief minister' does not understand this. He has perhaps stopped getting "angry with himself". -- As was the case with I K Gujral, according to Late former PM Chandrashekhar. 

The ground reality does not change much. People - who hold the master key in democracy - know what is going around.

Rio having sensed the 'change in public mood' especially after Jamir-Mohan Bhagwat meet and secretary general's remarks against S C Jamir; is looking for a headline-changing game. 

This merger is nothing more than that. 

Bad luck Mr Conrad;  - do not blame all Naga politicians. 

Be aware who are your well wishers and your dad's friends. 

ends 

Honest evaluation is vital :::: Collaboration with Foreign Universities : GIFT City has four such ties :::: "Modi had a visionary approach of boosting financial services, technology, and education"

A Niti Aayog report in 2025 said the state of Gujarat took a decisive step as early as 2020 by setting up Gujarat Biotechnology University (GBU) in Gandhinagar, positioning itself ahead of many states in attracting global academic collaboration.

This also helped retaining Indian talent within the country.  

Established in partnership with the University of Edinburgh at Scotland, it is also the world's first bio-tech university. Spread over nearly 23 acres at GIFT City, the university houses advanced research infrastructures worth Rs 80 crore. 

The Niti Aayog highlights works like these as benchmarks for education reforms. 

Top-ranked global universities operate within GIFT city. Australia's Deakin University and the University of Wollongong are active, alongside incoming UK institutions like Coventry University and Queen's University Belfast. 

The Gujarat Knowledge Society (GKS) partners with global entities—such as the US-based Bentley Systems—to supply industry-standard software tools free to local students and faculties, boosting technical competence.  

As they say - honest evaluation is vital for successful implementation. 

The globalisation of higher education has taken a bold new step in India with the establishment of foreign universities at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT). Situated in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, GIFT IFSC is India’s first operational International Financial Services Centre, and it is fast evolving into a comprehensive global hub not just for finance and tech, but also for education. Success in 'education' in these areas is linked to digital diplomacy in more ways than one. It is also the right reflection of the power of human potentials and soft power projection. 

Experts say successful management of the large number of foreign students who come to India in general - and Gujarat in particular - each academic session (or year) is critical. 

"In terms of long term benefits; the foreign students who returned to their respective countries or go elsewhere for professional assignment with positive experiences actually become lifelong foreign friends of India and of the state of Gujarat," says academician Disha Javeri.  

Agreeing with her even others say -- academicians and students are vital 'ambassadors of good will' -- as the opinions and the impressions formed during university days remain as permanent and long lasting features in one's professional life. However, those in the know of things on these matters say until 2014 or even say by 2016-17; it was found that "very little" was being debated and taught about India in foreign universities through academic curriculum. 

This was attended to by 2015 both by the Modi Govt in the centre and also the authorities in Gujarat. India - that way - is not only a new experience to them; it is a nation worth studying, working and also making investments. 

As of mid-2025, four foreign universities have formally established their presence at GIFT IFSC. The two pioneer institutions—Deakin University which ranks 197 in QS Global World University Ranking and University of Wollongong -- both hailing from Australia commenced operations in 2024. 

They have set a precedent for academic excellence and global collaboration. Deakin University has established a strong foothold by launching postgraduate programmes in areas such as Business Analytics and Cybersecurity, tailored to meet the dynamic needs of India’s rapidly growing tech and finance sectors.

Deakin’s GIFT campus concluded its first placement cycle in May 2025 with remarkable success. Nearly a quarter of its first cohort of Master of Business Analytics students secured job offers from the National Australia Bank (NAB) Innovation Centre India.

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel addressed Convocation Ceremony of First Graduating Batch at Deakin University–GIFT City : March 2026  CM 

CM Patel said that since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure as Chief Minister, Gujarat has achieved several new milestones in the field of education. With a visionary approach, efforts were made to provide the youth and students of Gujarat access to world-class educational opportunities at their doorstep. 

As a result, sector-specific universities such as the Forensic Sciences University, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Maritime University, Rashtriya Raksha University, and National Law University have been established in the state. Bhupendra Patel further stated that GIFT City stands as a living example of the Prime Minister’s visionary approach, where financial services, technology, and education have come together uniquely, with four foreign universities now operational.  

Under the 'Loan for Study Abroad Scheme' implemented by Gujarat Govt, the annual family income limit has been raised Rs 6 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.  

Gujarat recently established a strategic partnership between the Gujarat Knowledge Society (GKS) and the US-based infrastructure software company Bentley Systems on June 12, 2026.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed by GKS (under the Directorate of Technical Education, Government of Gujarat) and Bentley Systems.

ends 

"The truth is, I wasn't even supposed to be born" ::::::: "I grew up convinced that I did not deserve anything" :::::: Modi's "Italian connections" gets into a book :::: "Now that time has passed, I am grateful to those idiots", writes Italian PM Meloni in her memoir

Bold, candid and  personal, 'I Am Giorgia - — My Roots, My Principles'  is the portrait of a Italy's only woman Prime Minister who came up the ladder after defying expectations, challenged the status quo, and has become a defining political figure of the contemporary setting.

“I have heard too many people talk about me and my ideas not to realize how different my life and I actually are from the way we are portrayed. 

So, I decided to open up, to show who I am, what I believe in, and how I got here.” 

In this deeply personal and revealing memoir, Giorgia Meloni shares her story in her own words. 

From her childhood in the working-class neighbourhood of Garbatella to her rise in Italian and European politics, I Am Giorgia is a journey of conviction, resilience and identity. 

With unflinching honesty, Meloni recounts her early struggles, the profound influence of her mother and sister, and the absence of her father. She reflects on her passion for politics, her leadership of the conservative party Fratelli d’Italia, and the challenges of being a woman in a world dominated by men. 

She offers insight into her life as a mother, a partner and a person of deep faith and national pride. 

Namo has penned the foreword for the Indian edition of Italian PM Giorgia Meloni’s memoir, 'I Am Giorgia — My Roots, My Principles'. 

 

Highlighting the friendship between the two leaders, PM Narendra Modi wrote in Foreword for Giorgia Meloni’s book that her life underscored “timeless truths” of resilience and rootedness. 

He praised the Italian leader's “belief in defending one’s cultural heritage while engaging with the world on equal terms mirrors our own values.”

Modi hailed Meloni as a “patriot and outstanding contemporary leader,” likening her autobiography to her own “Mann Ki Baat". 

PM Modi said it was a “great honour” to contribute, expressing admiration and friendship for Meloni and adding that her “inspiring and historic” story will resonate deeply with Indian readers. 

Even Donald Trump has penned his version of Foreword:

"If you want to truly understand the worldwide conservative revolution, then read this book," says Trump, 

&&&&&  

In a media interview ,,, after she developed differences with Trump -- Miloni had said:

“It’s evident that with Donald Trump, I believed things would be easier, given our convergence on immigration and woke culture ..... Things have turned out otherwise.”

Miloni also became the first of several insulted European leaders to hit back hard at the US President - whom she berated: “Italy and I never beg.”

The two leaders did not speak in several weeks, she revealed. 

Extract  from the book

Miloni says in the Introduction chapter - "I concluded my speech with these words -- "I am Goergia. I am a woman,  a mother, an Italian, a Christian. You will never take that away from me".  .... 

There was applause .... But I could never have anticipated the lasting impact those words would have in the months to come".

*** More extracts :  "In Italy, we always talk about politicians as though they are a separate species, as if they had suddenly landed on Earth from another planet. But politicians are also simply Italians, just like everyone else."    

$$$   

"The truth is, I wasn't even supposed to be born. When she was pregnant, Anna (her mom) was twenty three, already had an eighteen-month-old daughter, and was in a struggling relationship with my father --- and he already had his suitcase packed, one foot out the door. Theirs was a wounded family". 

-- Now that time has passed, I am grateful to those idiots -- they were the first to teach me that enemies can be useful. They spur you onto to overcome challenges, to push past your limits ....

The Italian PM also says

** I learnt the hard way that healthy eating habits are crucial for young people. not just for health but also for social lives.

**  I grew up convinced that I did not deserve anything. 

** Life is less what happens to us because of someone else's actions, and more about how we choose to react.

** If this is who I am today, it is thanks to my father - for better or for worse. When he died a few years ago, I felt nothing. Writing these words is still painful. 

*** I was a textbook Capricorn - not shy or distrustful, but fiercely and stubbornly protective of my personal space -- she notes.

 Meloni’s memoir is not like the literary works of other politicians, past or current. 

What emerges is a self-portrait of a serious thinker who knows where her beliefs come from. Her personal background is not what one may expect. This memoir begins with a story of a struggling young mother walking towards an abortion clinic. Her marriage was failing and her husband was preparing to leave: a second child simply did not appear to be an option. 

Had her mother Anna not decided to turn back, Giorgia Meloni would never have come into the world. 

A difficult childhood followed, as material circumstances changed significantly when her father left Italy and his daughters behind.

“The awareness of a father who is no longer there, who vanishes into thin air, is something that’s hard to explain. It may leave a deeper wound than a father’s death. At least then you can imagine him looking down at you from heaven. But when he chooses to leave, you’re left grappling with the ghost of a person ..."

ends